Pros & Cons of Virtual Interior Design

It’s 2022, and according to The Jetsons, we should be driving flying cars and living in floating homes fully automated with robots. Wouldn’t that be nice? Although those innovations haven’t happened yet (looking at you, Silicon Valley), advancement in technology has grown exponentially, opening new ways to approach interior design.  

That’s right, we’ve gone virtual. 

How Does Virtual Interior Design Work?

Thanks to tools like Zoom, Pinterest, and advanced 3D renderings, we can now design spaces anywhere in the world — down to the centimeter — without stepping foot into your home. This is Virtual Interior Design.

As creative professionals (with decades of real field experience between us), we also have the ability to visualize a space without actually standing in it. We use floor plans, measurements, and in-depth questions to create a complete picture design for your home, one you will be able to implement flawlessly.

Not sure if you’re ready to embrace the future with virtual interior design? Here are the pros and cons…

Scandi Modern Project | Photographer: Vivian Johnson

Pros of Virtual Interior Design 

Saves Your Time

Traditionally, we would travel to your home for a consultation, project management, and installation. However, instead of spending hours (especially in the Bay Area) traveling to and from your home over the project’s life, your designer spends that time working on your design. 

You also don’t have to take off an afternoon to run home and meet with your designer. Instead, we meet virtually, allowing us to accommodate your schedule. For example, we can meet on Zoom during your lunch break, and we don’t care if you’re eating. (We’re California casual.)

Quicker Project Turn-Around

Saving time means a quicker turnaround for your project. We are saving time by meeting virtually, so we can spend the “commute time” to work on your project. As a result, we finish your project faster, and you get a completed space sooner. 

Cost-Effective

When we priced our Online Interior Design Service, we considered that there is no need to pay for travel and passed the savings on to you. We also give you the option of purchasing independently rather than paying an hourly rate for us to do the purchasing. We’re proud to offer this option, as many firms won’t do this. (Here are 5 more ways we’re not like your last interior designer.)

Flexible

Whether you’re on the East Coast or in the Bay Area, you have the flexibility to choose a designer you want to work with. For example, if you live on the West Coast and have a vacation home on the East Coast, you may feel limited to local designers that aren’t the right fit for you. If you have worked with us before or have been eyeing our designs, Virtual Interior Design allows us to work remotely with you. 

Scandi Modern Project | Photographer: Vivian Johnson

Cons of Virtual Interior Design

The most considerable difference between our traditional and online services is your involvement in the project. You become the CEO of your project with the hands-on implementation that includes receiving deliveries, unpacking furniture, and disposing of packing materials. 

However, we are happy to handle all the logistics for you with our hourly rate. 

Which Designer Should You Choose?

Transparency is one of our values, and I won’t hesitate to tell you that you can definitely find virtual design services for a lot less from other companies. But, here’s the difference…

Many online interior designers do not have in-the-field experience, which is a huge disadvantage. Knowledge and experience are not the same, and this hands-on training makes a huge difference in the materials we select, floor plans we draw, and solutions we propose. This is especially true for renovations. 

To put it in context, among our team of designers, we have decades of experience and a high-end client process. Our designers take time to really understand your needs and wants, learn about your home, and then use your budget and timeline to guide the process. 

My advice? Whether you choose us or not, invest in a designer with real experience, whose work you love, and whose personality you connect with. This is the foundation of great design, bar none. 

Are you ready to embrace the future of interior design and reap all the benefits? Book a discovery call with us, and let’s get the ball rolling.

Cheers,

Melanie